ENSURING IRRADIATION CONDITIONS FOR METAL SPECIMENS WITHIN A MATERIALS SCIENCE ASSEMBLY TO VALIDATE THE BN-600 OPERATION LIFE EXTENSION

In order to extend the operation life of the BN-600 reactor, it is necessary to validate operability of the permanent reactor elements – including the neutron reflector – that operate under the conditions with high damaging doses and high temperatures. It can be done through irradiating metal of simulating package inside a materials science assembly inserted in BN-600. The paper describes basic characteristics of the assembly, including design features and irradiation parameters. Described are the basic principles of selecting the location for the materials science assembly in the reactor and for specimens inside the assembly in order to ensure the required irradiation conditions for the metal specimens. With comparing the materials science assembly locations in the reactor core and in the radial blanket, the effect is discussed that the materials science assembly location has upon the characteristics of the reactor standard fuel assemblies and upon the neutron flux field. To calculate the irradiation parameters and the effect that the location has upon the materials science assembly, the same methods and programs are used as for the reactor core design work. The effect of the materials science assembly upon the reactor core neutronic characteristics has been shown to be minimum when the assembly is inserted in the radial blanket. 

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